Tennis training ball target and projector

ABSTRACT

A tennis trainer assembly for use indoors or outdoors wherein a user practices tennis shots from a user&#39;&#39;s mat with feet indicia recommending stances for forehand and backhand shots. The user drives a ball toward a non-rebound target which intercepts the driven ball and drops it into a lower trough member having a ball discharge at a low point. The ball is collected in means to allow the collected balls to be placed in a ball return device intermediate the target and the user&#39;&#39;s mat, said return device desirably positioned so that returned balls bounce to predetermined height levels so that the user&#39;&#39;s shot can drive the ball again toward the non-rebound target.

1 Nov. 11, 1975 1 TENNIS TRAINING BALL TARGET AND PROJECTOR [76]Inventor: Thomas J. Zak, 2251 S. 18th Ave.,

Broadview, 111. 60153 [22] Filed: Jan. 14, 1974 21 Appl. No.: 432,948

52 us. 01. 273/29 A; 273/103; 273/181 F; 273/26 A; 273/26 13 511 1111.C1 A63B 61/00 [58] Field of Search 273/26 A, 29 A, 30, 181 R,

Murphy 273/29 A Hendry 273/103 X Primary Examiner-Richard J. ApleyAssismm E.\'aminerT. Brown Attorney, Agent, or FirmDominik, Knechtel,Godula & Demeur [5 7] ABSTRACT A tennis trainer assembly for use indoorsor outdoors wherein a user practices tennis shots from a users mat withfeet indicia recommending stances for forehand and backhand shots. Theuser drives a ball toward a non-rebound target which intercepts thedriven ball and drops it into a lower trough member having a balldischarge at a low point. The ball is collected in means to allow thecollected balls to be placed in a ball return device intermediate thetarget and the users mat. said return device desirably positioned sothat returned balls bounce to predetermined height levels so that theusers shot can drive the ball again toward the non-rebound target.

1 Claim, 5 Drawing Figures US. Patent Nov. 11,1975 Sheet 1 of2 3,918,711

.FIG. I

US. Patent Nov. 11, 1975 Sheet20f2 3,918,711

TENNIS TRAINING BALL TARGET AND PROJECTOR This invention relates to atennis trainer wherein a non-rebound target intercepts the ball anddrops it to means used for returning a ball to the user of the trainerdevice. The invention particularly relates to a tennis trainer assemblywherein such a non-rebound target is used in combination with collectingmeans for the tennis ball, tennis ball return devices, and a users matwhich positions the user in recommended stances for returning the ballagain toward the non-rebound target.

The increasing popularity of tennis has led many practitioners of thisgame to seek out means for improving their techniques. This has involvedthe use of various devices wherein players can practice various tennisshots. Such devices are particularly desirable in view of the limitedindoor and outdoor court space relative to the number of skilledplayers. Among the various devices introduced to the art for thispurpose are included various target devices which the tennis player canuse for directing his volleys. Such target devices generally providerebound features so that the ball can be returned to the player. Otherdevices are known for serving these general purposes, namely, devicesdis closed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,215,432 and British Pat. No. 384,786.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide a trainer tohelp the tennis player learn and practice the various strokes of tennis,both forehand and backhand, using proper technique, without the need foran actual tennis court. In particular, this object is concerned withproviding a novel assembly wherein a trainer utilizes a target structurewhich collects driven tennis balls and drops them, without rebound, to alower trough member that discharges the tennis balls at a low point intocollecting means.

Another object is an improved tennis trainer device and assembly toguide the tennis student and practicing player through the basics oftennis strokes, using correct grips, footwork and form. An aspect ofthis object is to provide a tennis trainer which will allow thepractitioner to execute actual tennis shots, by stroking tennis ballswhich are pitched towards him by an automatic return device controlledby the user.

Yet another object of the present invention is an improved tennistrainer which uses in the assembly a mat for the practitioner which iscarefully marked with indicia to indicate recommended feet positions forboth forehand and backhand strokes, as well as the ball flight path andthe contact point where the 'tennis racket should meet the ball. Afeature of this object is the provision of flexibility for use with bothrighthanded and lefthanded players.

Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide animproved trainer which allows wide flexibility in use to allow practiceshots to be returned to the user at predetermined positions to allowexecution of a variety of particular shots against the target.

Yet still another object of the present invention is to provide a tennistrainer which is portable and adaptable to a variety of quickinstallations, outdoor or indoor, with wide choices available to theuser for positioning the target and the means for returning the ballrelative to the practitioner.

The foregoing objects are attained together with still other objectswhich will occur to practitioners by the invention of the followingdisclosure, including drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the preferred total assembly;

FIG. 2 is a portional perspective view showing alternative means joiningcollected tennis balls to a return device;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of an alternative embodiment of thenon-rebound member used in the as- .sembly;

FIG. 4 is a partial front elevational view of the member shown in theview of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a top plan view illustrating one side of the users matcomprising a part of the preferred tennis trainer assembly.

Looking first at the view of FIG. I, there is seen components of thepreferred embodiment including a nonrebound target designated generallyas A; a collecting means for tennis balls which hit the target,designated generally as B; a return device for the tennis ballsindicated generally as C; and a users mat indicated generally as D. Thevarious components cooperate to attain improved results as a tennistrainer assembly.

Looking at the non-rebound target first, there is seen a frame membershown generally as 10. Such member includes a target support portionhaving opposite side frame members 12, a top frame member 14, and abottom frame member 16. The frame members are illustrated as having atubular construction of different diameters so that some frame membersmay telescopically engage other frame members. A base portion includesfoot frame members 18 of general U-shape. with friction foot pads 20.

The target support frame portion is of general rectangular shape whichis defined by side frame members 12, top frame member 14 and bottomframe member 16. This rectangular target support is tilted or skewed ina direction opposite to the direction of a ball driven towards thetarget. This rectangular frame portion supports a substantiallyinelastic sheet material shown generally as 22. Said sheet material issuspended within the rectangular member'by substantially inelasticmounting means shown as including a fold 24 encircling the top framemember, and ties such as 26 connecting the sheet material to the sideframe member 12. A target designation 28 is illustrated on the face ofthe sheet material 22 to which the user directs his shots.

A trough member 29 is provided along the bottom portion of the sheetmaterial 22. The illustrated trough member is formed by an upturned foldof the flexible sheet material. The configuration of the trough isfacilitated by providing substantially rigid straps 30 and spacingmembers such as rod 31. The spacing members are fastened to strap 30 atone end and to the sheet material at reinforced portions 32 at the otherend. It is required that the trough member be formed with a low point 34substantially at the central portion of the trough member. The troughextends from the target a minor distance of the height of the target. Aball discharge, shown as an opening 36, is provided at this low point.The low point may be attained by various provisions such as theillustrated means which provide extending opposite sides 38 of the foldto a higher point than portions intermediate such sides.

Positioned below the ball discharge 36 is the collection means which isshown as an open top container 40 in which a plurality of collectedtennis balls 42 are shown. Spaced from the collecting means is shown areturn device which includes a hopper portion 44 for receiving theplurality of tennis balls 42. Such hopper device feeds balls one at atime to mechanically driven catapult means (not shown) which delivertennis balls through discharge chute 46, the path of the ball beingindicated. The return device is preferrably mobile so that wheels 48 aremounted thereon. In the preferred form, the return device iselectrically operated and an electric cord 50 is shown for connection tothe usual AC outlet. The operation of the return device may becontrolled by switch 52 connected by cord or conductor 54 to theelectric motor and actuating means, not shown. The details of the returndevice are not shown since they, as such, do not comprise an essentialpart of the present invention. Such return devices are available in themarket and practitioners will recognize that conventional means may beprovided for feeding the balls to catapult devices which propel the balltowards the user. The return device participates importantly in thepresent assembly in that the device may be economically provided with afixed execution stroke of the catapult device. In other words, the ballwill always be thrown at a given force, and the bounce of the ball tothe user will be determined by the catapulting projectory of the ball.The actual delivery of the ball to the vicinity of the user'can becontrolled by repositioning the return device through rolling action,back and forth.

The users mat is an elongated planer structure which is preferablyflexible so that it can be packaged and stored. The side 56 of the usersmat is shown with feet position indicia 58 to indicate the recommendedforehand stroke for a righthanded player; and with feet position indicia60 to indicate the recommended stance for the backhand position of theuser. Such indicia are shown relative to the hand strength of arighthanded player, and the opposite side of the mat may have reversefeet indicia positions for a lefthanded player. The return device may bepreset to sequentially. return balls at set time intervals, or the ballsmay be returned only upon actuation of the switch 52 by the user. ltisseen that the forehand and backhand feet indicia positions are spacedfrom each other toward the opposite ends of the elongated mat member,and that the ball direction line will be located somewhat centrallybetween such feet indicia positions.

The alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 2 illustrates a collectingmeans for the tennis balls having a conveyor channel 62 which deliverstennis balls directly to a return device C to which such channel 62 isjoined. The channel device 62 may be connected directly to the returndevice or may be spaced to an inlet (not shown) which delivers ballsinto a hopper arrangement (not shown).

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, an alternative embodiment is shownrelative to a trough member 64. This trough member may be separatelyaffixed, or be formed as a bottom fold. The frame member includes anupper frame support to suspend substantially inelastic sheet material66. Such upper frame support has an upper elongated tube part 67 andspaced side frame parts 68, only one of which is shown. An enlargeddiameter side tube part 69 is also provided to telescopi cally engageside part 68 for adjusting the height of the upper frame support member.Side frame part 68 is formed as an angle with the short arm beingreceived frame parts by fasteners 76. A lower transverse tubular support78 extends between the U-shaped leg mem-' bers, and the opposite ends oftubular support 78 telescopically receives lateral pins 79 secured byfastener 80 similar to fastener 71. Side support members 81 extendbetween side tubular members 69 and angular members 74. The troughmember 64 is formed by flexible material 82 which is secured at itsopposite sides to side supports 81 at a plurality of spaced supportpoints having fasteners such as 82. The flexible material 83 may beseparate from the sheet material 66 or may represent a bottom fold whichis extended outwardly and supported between the side supports as shown.In any event, the trough member has a low point 86 located at asubstantially central position between the opposite sides, and a balldischarge opening 88 is provided'at such low point to discharge ballsinto open top collec-,-

tion means, shown as box 90.

The view of FIG. 5 shows the users mat with the forehand feet indicia 92and the backhand feet indicia 94 for a righthanded player,as before. Inaddition, such a mat includes a ball path indicia line 96 to guide theuser striking the tennis ball. The mat also has a ball contact indicialine 98 which indicates where the user i should strike the ball when itis above line 96. The ball path line 96 is elongated and the long axisis perpendicular to the long axis of the mat; and is furtherperpendicular to the long axis ofthe ball contact indicia line 98.

In use, the player will hit each ball towards the target to developaccuracy, using proper techniques for forehand and backhand shots.Preferably, the mat is posi-. tioned so that the ball path line issubstantially aligned with the flight of the ball returning from thefeeder. .The properly positioned player then properly contacts the ballabove the ball contact line. The return feeder is' preferably providedwith catapulting means which pitches balls towards the player aboutevery three seconds to give him time to study the individual shot, as

well as the results of the shot and adjustment to correct errors intechnique. The non-rebound targetdoes not distract the player as wouldoccur if the balls would be bouncing back immediately after each shot.Preferably, the ball catapulted from the return feeder is set to fol lowa trajectory where the peak height is about head high. The return feederis set so that the trajectory of the ball results in a bounce to a peakheight of about waist high when it is in a position to be struck by theplayer. The return feeder catapults or pitches each ball insubstantially the sametrajectory so that changes in technique arerealized by varying the distance of the feeder relative to the mat.

Selecting the farthest distance of the feeder relative to the matresults in the ball bouncing over the ball contact line at peak bounceheight. Positioning the a feeder slightly closer to the mat results inthe ball trajectory being on the rise as it bounces over the ball.contact line. Positioning the feeder still closer now. re-

sults in the half-volley bounce because the ball will be bouncing upfrom the ground as it passes over the ball contact line. Setting thereturn feeder still closer results in the balls passing over the contactline before bouncing, but at a low trajectory, thus creating the lowvolley shot. Moving the return feeder still closer to the mat will allowthe volley shot to be of medium height; and at the closest position tothe mat, the high volley shot can be practiced. The player can stand onthe ball path line so that the volley shots will come directly at theplayer, and these shots can be practiced with the backhand stroke. lnaddition, since the balls are being pitched towards the player just asthey would on a tennis court and are not attached to strings or anyother apparatus, the player can stroke the balls with a flat stroke,chop, or top spin, as he chooses. He must also hit the target, whichtrains him in racket control and precise aim, which is what is requiredfor good tennis technique.

A serve can also be practiced when the tennis trainer is used outdoorsor indoors with high ceilings. The player will stand behind the mat andthe foot switch will be placed at such a point also. The back edge ofthe mat can be used as the base line. The return feeder can also be usedas an aid for ball supply for serve practice. The player can operate thefoot switch so that two balls can be catapulted to be caught by theplayer. The return feeder can then be stopped while the player servesthe two balls.

It is possible to use a variable control return feeder which couldremain stationary with collecting means for direct ball return from thetrough. The trajectory of the return ball can then be variouslycontrolled in the usual way.

The tennis trainer assembly which is disclosed is understandably easy toassemble and disassemble, and can be easily transported from location tolocation. The tennis trainer can be set up in the basement, utilityroom, garage, backyard, driveway, or the like. It can be used indoorsand outdoors, and can be specially set up for commercial establishments.

The claims of the invention are now presented and the terms of suchclaims may be better understood by reference to the language of thepreceding specification and the views of the drawings.

What is claimed is:

l. A non-rebound tennis trainer assembly, including a substantiallyupright frame member, said frame member having side, top and bottomedges and bottom foot frame members to support said frame member,

a substantially inelastic, flexible sheet material having sides, top andbottom edges,

substantially inelastic means mounting said sheet material to said framemember so that the plane of the sheet material is positioned tointercept a driven tennis ball,

said sheet material and frame member being inclined in a directionopposite to the direction of a driven tennis ball to facilitate saidtennis balldropping into an elongated trough member after impact withthe sheet material,

said trough member having its length located along the bottom edge ofthe sheet material and extending to opposite side edges of said sheetmaterial so that a tennis ball drops into the trough member followingimpact with said sheet material, the width of said trough member beingsubstantially less than the height of said frame member,

a point in said trough member located substantially lower than the endsthereof and at the mid-portion of said trough member,

a ball discharge opening at said point, and

collecting means for tennis balls positioned below said ball dischargeopening, a selectively positionable foot mat having fore-hand andback-hand stroke feet placement indicia on one side thereof for arighthand player and forehand and backhand stroke feet placement indiciaon its reverse side for a left-hand player, said foot mat being placed asubstantial distance from the ball impact side of said sheet material,

a tennis ball projecting device, said ball projecting device beingfreely movable and selectively positionable at different positionsbetween said sheet material and said foot mat to project balls at afixed trajectory towards said mat to be hit by a player and to vary thebounce height of the ball as it reaches the foot mat.

1. A non-rebound tennis trainer assembly, including a substantiallyupright frame member, said frame member having side, top and bottomedges and bottom foot frame members to support said frame member, asubstantially inelastic, flexible sheet material having sides, top andbottom edges, substantially inelastic means mounting said sheet materialto said frame member so that the plane of the sheet material ispositioned to intercept a driven tennis ball, said sheet material andframe member being inclined in a direction opposite to the direction ofa driven tennis ball to facilitate said tennis ball dropping into anelongated trough member after impact with the sheet material, saidtrough member having its length located along the bottom edge of thesheet material and extending to opposite side edges of said sheetmaterial so that a tennis ball drops into the trough member followingimpact with said sheet material, the width of said trough member beingsubstantially less than the height of said frame member, a point in saidtrough member located substantially lower than the ends thereof and atthe mid-portion of said trough member, a ball discharge opening at saidpoint, and collecting means for tennis balls positioned below said balldischarge opening, a selectively positionable foot mat having fore-handand back-hand stroke feet placement indicia on one side thereof for arighthand player and forehand and backhand stroke feet placement indiciaon its reverse side for a lefthand player, said foot mat being placed asubstantial distance from the ball impact side of said sheet material, atennis ball projecting device, said ball projecting device being freelymovable and selectively positionable at different positions between saidsheet material and said foot mat to project balls at a fixed trajectorytowards said mat to be hit by a player and to vary the bounce height ofthe ball as it reaches the foot mat.